The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-08-17
HOW LOOKED LAST NIGHT.
A Visit to the Scene OF the Wreck in til
Gathering Darkness.

Gathering Darkness.
CHATswoRTH, ILL, August ia short
ride brought one from the sickenlng sights
of the city to the place where the catas-
trophe occurred. 1t was wild scene at
the wreck in the gathering darkness. The
tangled iron and wood and the various
debris presented much the same appear
ance as it did at the time of the accident.
The engine, shattered out of all shape, lay
in the ditch about 200 feet beyond the cul.
vert, and the broken cars were strewn all
over the track. The culvert, which
was about thirty.two feet in
length, showed broken and burned
timbers and gave evidence at glance of
the cause of the accident. The little ditch
which the culvert spanned was about ten
feet deep and the timbers had been burned
away by the fires which have been raging
in this vicinity.
At o'clock this evening, when the Asso-
ciated Press Correspondent left the scene
of the wreck it was estimated that all but
six or seven bodies had been removed. The
only man on the wrecked tram, VINO
fingered at the scene until tonight IN
harmed was the porter of the only Pull
man car that was damaged. 1t was the
foremost OF the string of six sleepers at
tached to the end of the train. The tenth
coach was total wreck, as was all its pre-
decesscrs, but the sleeper stopped with its
forward end over the burning bridge.
THE ooLoRED BOYS STORY.
was about as accurate an account as could
be gotten from any of the passengers on
the Inflated train. 81 was awake" he be-
gan, when we crossed the Illinois Central
tracks at Chatsworth aud pulled up to the
station. There was large crowd at the
depot. number OF them being people
from Plpers Station, the next station east
If Ohptcunrtb II had hoav
that the train would not stop at Piper's
and eXcursiOnists who wanted to
take the train had to come down
on the evening train as we'll as by
wagon to Chatsworth to do so. Jolly fare
wells were shouted to the departing friends
by those at the depot and little did their
joyful antlcipations suggest their dreadful
end. We pulled away and / want inside
my car again. All the passengers were asleep
but two. They had all stayed up late,
singing and making fun, as they seemed TO
know one another so well, but as l said,
when we left Chatsworth they were all
asleep but two. 1t was II 80 o'clock and the
train had been sailing along about thirty
miles an hour when we reached the top of
the hill about two miles beyond. At the
top of this grade there is a turnpike cross
ing and remember the engineers whist
ling for il as is the custom. Then down
the grade we went with dash. A moment
later came the crash; every body was
shaken violently and many of those in our
car more or less bruised. 1t was simply
an awful jerk, a luDge and then
an abrupt stop and we were standing still.
When we In the Car looked out we were so
awe-stricken that we did not know what
to do. Our car was afre in front and all
efforts were directed to extinguishing the
flames. The people in the sleepers behind
IN handled q q vi nd
came to our rescue and hustled out as
many as were able to work, to help those
in the day coaches ahead. 1t was
dark as pitch and the cars were heeped up
so promiscuously that we could not get
at them at all. The awful grooming Of the
wounded and the sight and terror of the
whole thing was more than l could stand.
The news was sent to adjoining. towns
as soon as possible. 1t was dreadful wait
before any assistance came, but | suppose
in reality it was only few
minutes. We were little better of then,
for their provisions were altogether made
ouate for the great work in hand. Physi-
clans were soon summoned from all the
neighboriDg towns, aud by o'clock in
the morning the officials of the read
were on the way from Springfield
with all the doctors they could
muster. Two hours after the wreck,
and to add still more suffering TO its hor
rors, the rain began to pour in torrents and
for several hours drenched the suffering
and dying. But the horror might have
been worse had not the burning culvert
been extinguished when it was, the debris
would have burned causing a
dreadful holocaust in which hundreds
who either escaped from the wreck unin
jured or wounded would have been burned
to death. Not soul in the forward cars
would have survived. But the engineer OF
the reading engine returned to the scene OF
the wreck and gave Us what water he had
end after hat gave out. We extinguished
he flames with dirt thrown upon the
burning timbers. Thank God that only
nne,sourih of the train l,ad wera m